Spotlight on… Chez Sven, USA

Chez Sven is located on beautiful Cape Cod, in one of Wellfleet’s oldest houses, which Sandy’s parents purchased in 1970. Sandy and Sven turned it into a bed & breakfast five years ago when they moved from Europe to care for her elderly mom.
Sven, a retired Lyceé International history teacher, found a 1798 Liberty Coin under the floor during renovation. A little more digging and they discovered that in around 1750, their old Cape Codder was moved to its present location on Old King’s Highway, a scenic dirt road used by George III’s tax collectors. It is still possible to imagine what the area looked like before the American Revolution.

Guests can book rooms in the main house or in Seagull Cottage (with its own kitchen), set back in the woods. The main house dates to a similar period as the Atwood-Higgins house, a top attraction in the Cape Cod National Seashore nearby.

In renovating the northern wing of Chez Sven last winter, the innkeepers paid particular attention to detail, making the new space as authentic and as green as possible. Old 12-inch wide pine boards were recycled in the kitchen, as were most of the doors and hardware. One exception is the lovely private bath, hard to imagine back in the 1700s when the owners used a two-seater outhouse.

Guests at Chez Sven can count on eco-friendly towels and 100% organic cotton sheets, washed in a low-energy front-loader and air-dried in spring, summer and fall. Sandy and Sven offer natural amenities and use only green cleaning products. The couple love to share books and magazines from the environmental shelf in their international library. They serve as much organic food as possible, including homemade granola and yogurt, and provide water that has passed through 3-stage PUR filters. No plastic bottles here, although the innkeepers recycle any that turn up in the trash.

62% of Wellfleet is within the boundaries of a national park created by President Kennedy in 1963. This unique situation means there are miles of pristine forest to discover and many deserted beaches to explore. Wellfleet’s ponds and marshes are perfect for kayaking. From Chez Sven, it is possible to hike or bike to the beach or into town. It is a short walk to the popular Wicked Oyster restaurant, open year-round.

“Consider the capacity of the destination,” Ayako Ezaki, director of communication at the International Ecotourism Society, said recently when discussing choices available to eco-tourists. The town of Wellfleet has actually been far too successful in promoting itself over the years. The winter population of 3000 swells to 25000 in July and August. Sandy and Sven encourage ecotourists to come in fall, after the summer rush is over. The town’s folk are so much friendlier without the crowds!

Like oysters? The other main industry here is shellfishing, and Wellfleet celebrates Oysterfest in October. It is possible to go out on the flats, along side locals, and bring home a bucket of shellfish. Sandy recently volunteered to edit a book on the history of shellfishing, which will be sold at Oysterfest to benefit the local historical society.

For more information on Chez Sven and details of the special offer for September 2008, visit: http://ecobookers.com/hotel/North_America/USA/Chez_Sven_Bed_%26_Breakfast/105.php

Eco-luxury villas in Costa Rica!

The eco-luxury suites and villas of Cascadas Farallas Waterfall Villas have been designed using green hotel practices and Feng Shui. The Balinese style village is made up of 3 villas, each of which can be split into 2 suites.
The villas are secluded by rainforest - dense, lush and exotic with a wealth of rare plants and animals that are unique to a waterfall environment.

Cascadas Farallas is 3 miles on paved road from Dominical’s famous surf beach, secluded by rainforest, but close to shops and a wide variety restaurants. The exotic southern pacific beaches extend all the way to the Osa peninsula and are within easy reach by paved highway.

ecobookers 1st birthday!!

This month marks the one year anniversary of ecobookers.com. It's been a busy first year, and a fun one, so we’d like to take a little time to reflect on the past 12 months and ask you what you’d like to see in the coming year!

August 2007 – ecobookers.com officially launches with approximately 50 eco-friendly accommodations around the world, including eco-friendly hotels, ecolodges and treehouses. Each accommodation has been hand-picked for its eco-policies.

September 2007 – The ecobookers homepage is revamped to include pages with ideas for eco-couples, eco-luxury, eco-city, eco on a budget and eco-family travel.

October 2007 – ecobookers forms partnerships with ecotricity, Nigel’s eco store and Earth & Wear so that our lovely customers can get discounts from these great eco-friendly companies!

November and December 2007 – ecobookers’ Nikki Ashton is invited to write articles for eco-friendly blogs such as Amaze Magazine and Green Girls Global and lots of new eco-friendly additions are made to the ecobookers site.

January 2008 – With more accommodation being added all the time, ecobookers now has 100 eco-friendly hotels and ecolodges, all hand-selected for their wide range of eco-policies.

February – April 2008 – The ecobookers site continues to grow and we start work preparing for an exciting new show called UK Aware, which aims to show how easy it is to make your life more eco-friendly.

May 2008 – ecobookers exhibit at their first ever show – UK Aware – giving us the chance to meet lots of you lovely eco-friendly types! ecobookers is also featured as ‘Cream of Green’ in the Guardian!

June and July 2008 – We start work on a makeover for ecobookers.com, whilst continuing our search for eco-friendly gems.

August 2008 – ecobookers.com turns 1 year old and our sparkly new re-design is launched with improved functionality.

As you can see it’s been a busy, and fun, first year and we have more than doubled in size over that time. We plan to keep growing over the next year, so if you have any ideas of what you’d like to see on the ecobookers site, please drop us a line to let us know! Your feedback is always welcome!

Eco resorts in the Philippines

If you’d like to be based in the midst of a beautiful natural environment without foregoing some holiday pampering, then look no further than these 2 resorts in the Philippines – Lagen Island Resort and Miniloc Island Resort – both in El Nido.

Both resorts are set in coves against a backdrop of limestone cliffs. The area provides a wealth of opportunities for wildlife observation and sightings and there are plenty of activities on offer such as rock climbing, snorkelling, diving, trekking and kayaking. There are a range of accommodation styles to choose from and both resorts have an impressive range of eco-policies. In particular, the resorts are focused on conservation of the spectacular natural environment and improving the standard of life of people of the local area.

New Eco Camp in Andalucia, Spain

Today sees the addition of a new eco camp to the ecobookers site, the Nomad Eco Camp in Villanueva de Tapia, Andalucia, Spain.

Set on 10km of land at 650m altitude, Nomad Eco Camp is surrounded by wonderful landscape of fields and mountains. The biggest lake in Andalucia, Iznajar, is just 15 minutes away and has a beach that is ideal for children.

The camp offers a range of accommodation including a studio apartment, yurts and camping.

Site re-design

It's been a while since I last wrote and the reason for that is I've been fully caught up getting the ecobookers re-design ready. The re-design is now live on the site and we hope you'll agree that it's a great improvement on the old site.

If you get a chance please do take a look - www.ecobookers.com - and tell us what you think! After looking at the new pages every day for days now, feedback from people seeing the site for the first time would be most welcome!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Artha, Not Your Average B&B!

One of the unique eco-friendly B&Bs featured on the ecobookers site - Artha - tell us how it all began...

Artha Sustainable Living Center, USA, has just achieved the highest certification rating with the ‘Travel Green Wisconsin’ program, a program designed to protect the beauty and vitality of Wisconsin’s landscape. Here they tell us what led them to start this unique B&B.

“Artha is not only a Bed and Breakfast, but also an education center. Bob Ramlow bought the farm in 1975 with the goal to live off the land. This idea attracted many to come and learn. During this time period Bob learned about solar and made this his life’s passion.

Bob and Marguerite’s dream was to build a zero energy home showcasing sustainable building practices and materials. As a trial run for their new home a studio was built in the second story of the barn, utilising straw bale construction and radiant floors. This studio is now used for yoga classes and workshops, an amazing space!

They then took the plunge and built a new home, also utilising straw bale construction with a high mass solar thermal heating system. The home was built with all local labour, hand making all of the doors, cabinets and floors from sustainably grown and harvested wood from the Menomonee forest here in Wisconsin. Linseed oil was used on the wood and milk paint for the ceilings.

The question then was what to do with the old home. During this time both children, Leif and Chamomile, had moved back to Wisconsin, along with Chamomile’s husband Benjamin. The family decided to start a business based on the idea that they all loved to teach and wanted to create a centre where people not only learned in a classroom setting, but also by example. The old home was turned into a B&B so those who came to take workshops would have a place to stay, and those wishing to see how and if renewable energy really worked could stay in a home run by the sun.

Bob teaches about solar thermal energy not only here at Artha, but all over the United states and is the author, along with his son-in-law Benjamin, of the book Solar Water Heating: A Comprehensive Guide to Solar Water and Space Heating. Benjamin does some teaching, but is Artha’s primary solar thermal consultant, designing systems for homeowners and business all over the world. Marguerite teaches weekly yoga classes along with workshops on organic gardening, herbs and yoga retreats. Marguerite and Chamomile maintain the B&B and make delicious vegetarian breakfasts, utilising local organic produce and dairy products. Syrup for pancakes and waffles is made from the sugar maples that grow on the 90 acres here at Artha. Leif maintains the grounds and gardens, making Artha a beautiful place to visit. The family has found great joy in working together on things they truly care about.

Artha is a place that strives to exist in harmony with the environment. We here at Artha hope to lead by example and we offer our experiences and expertise to those who wish to learn from us. Please come and visit, you might just leave with some inspiration!”

Eco tips for your Summer getaway

If you’re reading this blog it is highly likely that you enjoy travelling to new destinations, experiencing the local culture and marvelling at the natural beauty, but that you want to do all of these things in a way that doesn’t have an adverse affect on the local environment or culture.

Booking your holiday at an eco-friendly accommodation is a great way to start, but they can’t do all the work for you! Here we look at a few measures you can take before you set-off on your travels, and during your time at your destination, to make your holiday as eco-friendly as possible:

Before you go
Once you’ve decided on your destination and sorted out your flights, there are a few things you can think about and prepare for before you go.

Firstly, you can research the cultural does and don’ts of the local population. For example, in some countries it is rude to point at things with your feet, to touch people on the head or to drink alcohol. By researching things such as this before you go, you can be respectful of people and their culture when you arrive.

Dress code is also an important factor – if you are travelling to a country where it is disrespectful to show certain parts of the body, it’s best to know this before you go so that you can pack accordingly.

Learning a few words of the local language before you go will help you to interact with the local people.

You may also want to look into local methods of transportation so that you can transfer to your accommodation and travel around the country both conveniently and responsibly e.g. take public transport instead of a private taxi to reduce carbon emissions.

If you plan on taking tours during your holiday you could research local companies who use local guides and try to protect the environment, rather than booking trips with companies who give nothing back to the local communities.

And of course, you can use ecobookers.com to find an eco-friendly accommodation and review its policies, ensuring it meets your criteria!

While you’re there
When you arrive at your destination, the important thing is to make a positive rather than a negative impact by being culturally and environmentally aware.

Cultural considerations
You could find yourself in a very different situation to that which you are used to back home, but you must remember that this is normal life to the people who live it, so be open-minded.

Traditions, culture, religious beliefs, clothing and food may all be very different to what you are used to but be respectful. Respect people’s wishes and ask before you take photographs. Try getting to know people - you may learn something about their way of life and they may be able to give you insider info on where to go and what to do that you won’t find in the guidebooks!

When you are buying goods, using services such as tour guides or eating in restaurants, try to spend money that will benefit the local communities.

Giving money to people begging is not usually encouraged as it does not promote self-sufficiency, although this is down to your own ethical beliefs. However, if you do want to give something back in a more sustainable way, some of the accommodations featured on the ecobookers website are involved in projects where you can volunteer and others will be able to give you advice on how you can help.

Environmental considerations
The majority of eco-accommodations have processes in place to recycle, conserve energy and water and to limit damaging waste. You can help them along by using water and energy as efficiently as possible e.g. don’t leave taps running or lights on unnecessarily, by taking shampoos etc. with you that are bio-degradable, by never littering and by recycling anything you can (if there are no facilities for recycling certain products e.g. plastic bottles, where you are, take these home with you to recycle).
So that you don’t upset the natural balance or cause erosion, stick to marked trails (both when walking and driving) and don’t take any souvenirs from along the way.

Also, don’t buy anything that has come from an endangered animal species, or a protected species of plant and don’t support shows where animals are used for entertainment.

These are just a few ideas to help you to be a responsible traveller, which will not only benefit the area you are visiting, but which will also help you to get the most out of your experience. Enjoy your trip!

eco-friendly hostel in Barcelona

Our latest addition to the ecobookers site is vibrant eco-friendly hostel Barcelona Urbany. Set in a central location in Barcelona, the hostel is within easy reach of the main tourist attractions of this popular city.

Located in a modern, eco-friendly building, the hostel boasts facilities you would expect in a hotel including free internet access in the lobby, WiFi in the rooms, free use of the hostel's partner fitness club facilities (with swimming pool), a bar restaurant and a terrace.

Beds in dorms of four to eight are available, in addition to single and twin rooms.

eco lodges in India

Today sees the addition of 2 sister hotels to the ecobookers, both located in India.

The first, Elephant Valley Eco Farm hotel, is located in an area of the Western Ghats which one of the 25 bio-diversity hotspots of the planet, making this a great place to spot elephants, bison, leopards and a host of other wildlife. You can also enjoy the river and its natural pools which lead to spectacular waterfalls.

Accommodation consists of tent houses, offering homely comfort in the midst of the wilderness, and cottages, equipped with colonial and art deco furniture and each with its own garden overlooking the Gangavaar River and the coffee plantation.


Sister hotel, Dune Eco Beach Hotel, is located 15kms from the heart of Pondicherry. At this eco-friendly village you will find individually decorated houses and bungalows discreetly hidden over 30 acres and 700m of beach front.

From here you can explore Pondicherry (15km), an ex-French colony with quaint colonial houses and numerous restaurants, Auroville (8km), an experimental township sustaining a unique community and Gingee, an ancient fort set amongst a landscape of granite chaos.

Surf ecolodge in Nicaragua!

Today sees the addition of a fab new ecolodge in Nicaragua, which, as the name suggests, is great for surfing, but which is also great for families and anyone else who wants to relax and explore in great surroundings! Los Cardones Surf Lodge, on the Pacific Coast, has 6 beachside bungalows spread out along with coast, each with a bathroom, terrace, hammock and lounge chairs. A spacious beach restaurant offers delicious food and plenty of hammocks for relaxing under typical ranchos!

If you’re looking for a truly cultural experience, we've just added a new ecolodge in Morocco – the Roses Camp. Located at the heart of the South Atlas mountain range, the Roses Camp is a real escape into the Berber culture, set in the heart of Taberkhachte village gardens and surrounded by old earth Kasbahs. Its caïdal tents, traditionally used by ancient tribal leaders, have been adapted to modern needs. Run by local staff and a French supervisor, inhabitants will help you in discovering the richness of this region, the diversity of its nature and the hospitality of its people.

eco-chic Inn in Bangkok!

Today sees the addition of our first eco-friendly accommodation in Bangkok, Thailand, the boutique Old Bangkok Inn.

Situated on Rajadamnern Avenue in the heart of Bangkok’s old quarters, the hotel's entrance is at the starting line of Bangkok’s most historical thoroughfare.

Family run and operated, the property where the Old Bangkok Inn sits was originally a palace bestowed by King Chulalongkom (Rama V) and has been in the family's care for seven generations.

Furnished with Thai golden teak, each bedroom in this historic building has been individually restored to create its own special atmosphere, combining traditional elegance with modern amenities. The four guest rooms, four loft rooms and two suites (ten rooms in total) are named and decorated with Thai floral themes: Rice, Lemon Grass, Jasmine, Orchid, Rose and Lotus. Each room is individually and tastefully appointed with heirloom furniture and many are decorated with porcelain hand-painted by the inn's owner herself.

eco-lodge in Costa Rica and eco-friendly gites in France!

Today sees the addition of two new accommodations to the ecobookers site.

First up is the Danta Corcovado Lodge in Costa Rica. This ecolodge is a local family business that aspires to be a leader and set an example of ecological design, creativity, conservation and sustainability.
Located on the Osa Peninsula, 8km from the Los Patos section of the Corcovado National Park, the Lodge is also the closest place to the Guayami Indigenous Reserve.

With its warm and creative accommodation this lodge is sure to please all types of travellers and is an ideal location from which to explore the attractions of the area.

Next we have Artemis en Provence in Roussillon, France. This accommodation consists of 2 eco-friendly gites, offering a setting from which to explore many chapters of provencal heritage.

When you're not out exploring the area, there is a 12x5m pool for your enjoyment or you could sit out on your terrace for breakfast or drinks or read or snooze under the shade of 100-year old oak trees.

UK Aware and ecobookers in the press!

The end of the weekend saw the end of ecobookers first show - UK Aware.

After months of planning (and a bit of fear I have to admit!) we spent the weekend in London at the Barbican and had a great time meeting all sorts of eco-aware people visiting the show. We had some fantastic images of beautiful eco-friendly hotels and ecolodges on display which seemed to grab lots of people's imaginations.

All in all it was a great success, thanks in main to my wonderful team of volunteers spent the days getting the ecobookers message out there.

Coinciding with the show we also had a mention in the Guardian on Saturday morning - you can check it out here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/may/10/buenosaires.argentina

Now the show's over we'll be back to getting lots more eco-friendly hotels and lodges onto the site!

Going eco in the USA!

Over 30 years ago, Bill Castle and his family began a project to build a log cabin. They now run Pollywogg Holler – a unique eco lodge set in 56,000 acres of New York State forest land in the USA. Here Bill tells us how it all began:

“Back in 1976 my wife and I, along with our three small children, embarked on a project to enter the forest with hand tools and build a log cabin. This was a weekend project and primarily a family project. We wanted to experience the true pioneer experience, at least on weekends. In no time at all we became very sympathetic with nature and started to strive to live in harmony with our new natural neighbours.

While travelling in Costa Rica back in 1987 we kept hearing about Eco-tourism. We started going to meetings and looking at what other people were doing. It was around this period that we decided that if they could run an eco lodge there, why couldn't we do it back in New York State.

As owners of an eco-resort we are all about Eco-Friendly. If you are running an Eco-Resort you are under the magnifying glass, so just being casual Eco friendly isn’t enough - you have to walk the walk and talk the talk. We have felt for a long time that we are setting the standards for Eco-Tourism and we will continue to improve on what we already have in place.

Since opening the Eco Lodge, we have had countless people come to Pollywogg Holler with the purpose of seeing how we do it. We have also consulted with many people who have been here and attempted to do their own thing, in various parts of the world.

If you’re looking to become more eco-friendly yourself, probably the best way is to start by camping. Then, when you are comfortable with this, try living in a tent in a wilderness setting for an extended period of time. I am a firm believer in research, what ever your interest is, research, research and research some more. Read about it every day, subscribe to back-to-the-land magazines and read up on every faze of living next to/with nature.”

Read more about this unique eco-friendly resort here!

New eco-friendly accommodation in Australia

Today sees the addition of an eco-friendly resort in North Queensland, Australia. Hidden Valley Cabins are located one and a half hours north-west of Townsville, near Running River on the western slope of the Paluma range in Queensland, Australia. The Cabins are in an ideal location for a relaxing holiday to recharge your batteries and experience the Australian outback tranquility.

The cabins have a rustic urban feel with all the comforts of home and all of the furniture located in the rooms has been hand-crafted from local red mahogany timber. No bricks or steel structures, no high-rise buildings, just the fresh cool mountain air. This is the way a holiday was meant to be. There are six modern rustic cabins with en-suites and four homestead rooms with a share bathroom.

Due to the mountain elevation the climate is cooler and less humid than areas close to the coast. Hidden Valley Cabins offer a peaceful, comfortable holiday in an "off the beaten track" environment. The area is abundant with varying species of birds, butterflies, wallabies, Lace Monitors, platypus, nocturnal animals such as gliders and much more. Hidden Valley Cabins is a great area for bird watching and wildlife enthusiasts, there are also regular sightings of Platypus in the nearby Running River.

New ecolodge in Dominica!

Today sees the addition of Rosalie Forest Ecolodge, Dominica, to the ecobookers site.
This new ecolodge is located directly adjacent to its sister-hotel, Green-Globe certified 3 Rivers Ecolodge. Located on the edge of the rainforest, about a mile away from the main road, the Lodge is an extremely quiet and peaceful place in a lush green valley, surrounded by nature and rivers, in unspoiled eastern Dominica.

Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge offers a range of rustically comfortable cabins and tree houses, as well as full camping and dormitory facilities.

eco-hotel of the month

This month Shireen and Barbara, Innkeepers at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill in Jamaica, explain their motivation to set up an eco-friendly hotel and talk about their future plans:

Since opening almost 14 years ago, Hotel Mocking Bird Hill has gained credibility as a leader in sustainable tourism development in the Caribbean. Twice Green Globe certified we are often asked why observing sustainable practices is important to us and what do we undertake to claim we are environmentally friendly.

One of the motivating reasons is that we have grown up in developing and then, later, in first world countries and seen the disparities between the two, as well as the negative impacts of so called “development”. This has influenced us a great deal. We have seen how communities were without water while the water available was directed to the large luxury resorts. We also lived in Germany for a long time and were very active in the “Green” movement in the late 70’s and early 80’s. We actively separated our waste, discarded unnecessary packaging at the supermarket counters, joined a group of friends who would collectively buy local seasonal food from the farmer and take it in turns to drive out there and pick it up for the group.

People living in abject poverty usually do not have the luxury to care about natural resources, as they worry instead about their next meal and obtaining their most basic needs. In the worst cases, their destitution leads to destruction of their environment. At the same time, however, our ability to create wealth and the economic resources that might enable those people to escape poverty will require that we use our natural resources as wisely as possible. Hence we have the doubly challenging task of making prudent use of land, air, water, forests and oceans while trying to meet the demands of an increasing number of impoverished people. We recognise the critical role that tourism can play in addressing these demands and set out to therefore operate our business along sustainable guidelines and demonstrate that even small business can make a positive contribution.

We started toying with the idea of developing an intimate inn / boutique hotel along sustainable guidelines and started by touring the country to select our location. We therefore consciously sought out Port Antonio, the least developed tourist region of Jamaica and set out from the start to plan and develop our business along responsible and sustainable principles. In doing so we sought to identify actions, resources and partners necessary to encourage the provision of products and services, which enhance rather than destroy the environment and culture.

Size is an important aspect that affects operations and costs. Much of what we do is possible because the hotel is small. It would not be feasible for a large resort to dry their clothes in the sun, to do their baking in sun ovens and so on. So in such instances the smaller scale of operations is an asset. It’s like nature, which is not mass-produced. Hence, environmentally friendly operations are ideal for small hotels as it does not require enormous capital outlays and it keeps operating costs under control.

We are constantly working to increase the efficiency of our systems as this is the main area of improving our performance. We install an awning to provide shade and keep our storerooms cooler which in turn lowers the demand on the cooling units (freezers and fridges).

Rather than trying to find solutions to our problems, such as recycling the plastic, we focus on avoiding the issue from the start so that we do not have to worry about the recycling. When considering how to invest money and effort and time for the sake of environmental benefits, choosing the most effective actions, though not terribly difficult, requires a bit of thought and homework.

Our future plans include adding more solar panels and using renewable energy to operate pool and water pumps as well as for outside lighting and guttering the roof of a building which has not been guttered as yet and increasing our storage capacities for harvesting rain water.

Our best moments are when staff who left our services return saying they realise how much they appreciated working with us after they left and that they are so used to our standards that they are not happy working elsewhere and above all they recognise how much they have learnt working with us. This acknowledgement makes our work worthwhile and brings home the fact that our work is not in vain and that we are achieving our goals gradually. Of course positive guest feedback brings moments of quiet satisfaction and a motivation to continue and keep improving.

Weird and wonderful eco-friendly accommodation!

While each of the accommodations featured on the ecobookers site is unique in its own way, some are a little more unique than others! So if you’re looking for a holiday to remember this year, maybe a stay in a weird and wonderful eco-friendly hotel or ecolodge would be just the ticket… read on to discover some of the more unique eco-friendly accommodations featured on the ecobookers site:

Bintang Bolong Lodge, Gambia
Located near the small and authentic African village of Bintang, Bintang Bolong Lodge is situated in approximately 3 hectares of land on the banks of the Bintang Bolong, the largest tributary of the River Gambia. On this part of the river the tide level changes by more than 1 meter, so that at high tide well over half of the camp is flooded. For this reason, the majority of the lodgings are built on stilts amongst the Mangroves where wooden jetties provide docking facilities!
One of the main attractions of this unique hotel is the River Restaurant with its large terrace from which you can experience incomparable sunsets.

Lova Lava Land Eco Resort, Hawaii
This unique eco-friendly resort on Big Island, Hawaii, is situated about 1,500 feet above sea level, on one of the largest mountains in the world, Mauna Loa. Located on an old lava field the resort is a once-in-a-lifetime experience in off-the-grid living. The grill, shower and compost toilet are all constructed from lava rock found on the grounds of the resort and dead tree limbs have been used to build furniture. Guests staying at this resort can choose to sleep in a Mongolian Yurt or in one of two converted campervans which would otherwise have been destined for the landfill!

Pollywogg Holler, USA
Named for the serenade of frogs that fills the evening air, Pollywogg Hollër is a Great Camp-style eco-resort which combines Adirondack-style craftsmanship, solar electricity, organic gardening, and gravity fed spring water. There are a variety of lofts, lodges and shacks to choose from, but for something truly different there’s the Phantasy Dome, an amazing futuristic, geometric structure, entered through a rustic Adirondack-style entrance. An eight foot diameter floating bed is the center piece of this thirty foot diameter dome!

Puri Lumbung, Indonesia
Puri Lumbung Cottages are located in Munduk, Bali, an area famous for beautiful scenery and a variety of fascinating walks and treks. The ‘lumbung’ or rice granary is part of Bali’s unique cultural heritage. Traditionally used to store rice under the protection of the goddess Dewi Sri, lumbungs are now seldom used because farming techniques have changed.
Puri Lumbung Cottages has been created from several disused lumbungs averaging 80 years old, which have been adapted into simple but charming accommodation!

Hoopoe Yurt Hotel, Spain
The Hoopoe Yurt Hotel’s location is idyllic - set in three hectares of olives groves and unspoilt cork oak forest, and with spectacular views of the Grazalema mountains of Andalucia, in the rugged wilds of southern Spain. To make the most of the stunning scenery, guests at this eco-friendly hotel are accommodated in Mongolian Yurts, each of which has as an acre of private meadow with hammocks and comfortable shaded seating areas. Each of the four yurts is individually decorated and features pieces of traditional Mongolian furniture and exotic textiles!